Washing machine



Filed April 23, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Edwzim flaw v1.2 :23 BY ATTORN EY WASHING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1954 IINVIENTOR a m WWI wk ATTORNEYS .15 continuously through the various stages on the such as rollers 4. At the inlet end of the drum to .20 at each successive stage the washing liquid cons 7 a-tits Outer end through which material y 20 Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE WASHING MACHINE Edwin Cowles, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Cowles Company, Princeton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 23, 1934, Serial No. 721,947

15 Claims. (01. 141-12) This invention relates to washing machines, Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, longitudinal section and has for its object to provide a machine suitshowing a modified construction; and able for Washing soluble or insoluble substances Fig. 7 is a vertical section through Fig. 6. from various materials. The material washed In the accompa y drawings the invention is may be granular or in t form.of a powder, illustrated as applied to a washing machine of fibrous material such as paper pulp, or fabrics. the rotating drum type in o Which Washing liquid The substances removed from the material being flows, and in which the powdered, granular or washed may be foreign matter carried on in fibrous material is fed into one end of the drum suspension in the washing liquid or material and is gradually advanced to the dischar end 14) soluble in the w hi li uid o b th of the drum, where clean material is discharged.

An important object of the present invention S S ow n t e ir -W y y Of p is to provide a washing machine in which the he machin comprises a rotatable rum I pwashing is carried out continuously in a. pluported at its ends on tubular trunnions 2 and 3 rality of stages, the washing liquid being carried Which are rotatably Supported y Suitable means,

countercurrent principle, the fresh washing he t unn 2 has n Opening 5 at s Outer e d liquid being preferably brought into contact with threilgh Which material y be troduced into the material in the final washing stage and being the inter or Of the d by a y Suitable means. progressively carried from stage to stage so that Such as a Chute The trunnion 3 has an p taining less of the substances extracted from the be discharged, and a dischar Chute 8 y b material being treated is brought into Contact with p v d t receive the a a d s har d fr m the material containing less of the substances to the Clrllm- The bOttOm 0f the Opening 5 is ebe removed by the washing liquid. What higher than the bottom of the opening I, It is to be understood that in some instances 80 that the liquid and material Within the drum 25 the countercurrent principle need not be extended Will Spill Out through the p g 1 instead of to all of the washing stages, the use of the counthe p If desired, the drum y be tercurrent principle in whole or in part being Slightly inclined toward the discharge end. The dependent upon the conditions inherent in the rum I is rotated by u table means, such as an particular washing operation to which the ini eig e m e 9, W c y C t u able 30 vention is applied. Also, the number of washing 110 ion gearing, if d s e meter being stages will vary with different materials. g u tacli n ahsuppo frame Ill and driving the With the above and other objects in view, the rum mug e1v Suitable driving means, such as invention may be said to comprise the machine the t as illustrated in the accompanying drawings The interior Of the drum is divided iIltO a series 35 hereinafter described and particularly set forth of Compartments y longitudinally Sp p in the appended claims, together with such Varialiens l2 Whieh ere provided in the Central p tions and modifications thereof as will be apparti s th w t op n s 3 r th passa ent to one skilled in the art to which the invention o a al from Compartment p ent.

40 appertains. In each of the compartments there is a circum- 40 Reference Should be had the accompanying ferentially continuous material-retaining screen drawings forming a part of this specification, in i 9 metal or W Suitable for which taming the particular mater al to be Washed, and

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a washing maone or more. filtermg material may be chine embodying the invention, used therewlth, 1f desired. The screens [4 in the L end compartments extend across the spaces be- Fig. 2 1s an end elevation looking toward the thn d u f th d h d from which the material being washed is i en S 0 rum t 8 partitions l2 and have the1r opposite edges atdlse i tached to suitable supporting rings [5 secured to so is f section taken on the lme mdlcated the inner faces of the end walls of the drum and at D to the partition members. In the intermediate Flg. 4: 1S 3; 590171011 taken on the 11116 lndlcated at compartments the screens extend a ro th 3-4 in Fig. 1; compartments and are secured at their edges to Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line indicated a supporting rings l5 attached to the partition 5.....5 in i 1; members. The screens M are all disposed out- 55 wardly of the central openings l3 and are spaced inwardly of the peripheral wall of the drum, providing in each compartment an inner material retaining chamber, and an annular chamber exteriorly of the screen into which liquid may pass from the inner chamber through the screen or other filtering medium.

The machine of the present invention operates to subject the material to the washing action of the liquid in a series of stages and provides a construction whereby the counterfiow principle to progressively subject material containing less impurities to washing liquid containing less impurities may be readily utilized. To this end, liquid moving means is provided for progressively transferring washing liquid from compartment to compartment in a direction opposite that in which the material being washed passes through the machine.

Extending between the partitions I2 and secured to said partitions and the shell of the drum are plates I6, lfia. As best shown in Fig. 5, the plates i6 extend substantially radially across the compartments exteriorly of the screen [4 and, together with the plates Ilia, form scoops which will pick up liquid from the lower part of the an nular space exteriorly of the screen during rotation of the drum and elevate the liquid.

Each partition 12 has openings i8 outwardly of the screens l4, each positioned adjacent the junction of the plates [6, lBa forming the scoops. In the intermediate compartments are pipes I!) which are secured at one end to blocks I I carried by the rings I5 and are connected at the ends thereof toward the discharge end of the drum to the partition members [2 to receive liquid discharged through the openings l8.

Each pipe [9 extends across the compartment from the partition to which it is attached to the screen supporting ring at the opposite side thereof, where it is bent inwardly and attached to the ring to deliver liquid through an opening 28 in the ring to the interior of the material retaining chamber. Each of the openings 20 is provided at the inner end thereof with a gravity flap valve 2| which is closed by gravity and held closed during the passage of the scoop through the lower portion of its path of travel, but which will be opened by the pressure of the liquid in the pipes l9 after the scoops have been elevated above the level of the materials at the lower portion of the drum. Thus, during rotation of the drum, liquid is scooped up from the space surrounding the screen in each of the compartments between the compartment into which the material is fed at the inlet end of the drum and the discharge end of the drum, and is delivered into the material containing chamber of the next adjacent compartment toward the inlet end of the drum.

Hot or cold washing liquid, such as water, is introduced into the interior of the drum adjacent the discharge end of the drum by any suitable means, such as pipe 22. In each compartment the liquid passes through the filtering screen into the space between the screen and peripheral walls of the drum in the lower portion of the drum, and this liquid, during rotation of the drum, is picked up by the scoops and is constantly being transferred to the next adjacent compartments toward the inlet end of the drum.

At the periphery of the compartment at the inlet end of the drum the peripheral wall of the drum may be provided with liquid discharge openings 24, which deliver liquid to an arcuate channel collector trough 25 which delivers into a discharge pipe 26.

In the operation of the machine, the washing liquid passes through the screen M, or other filtering medium, into the outer compartments between the partitions l2, and during the rotation of the drum, a portion of the liquid is progressively transferred from compartment to compartment toward the inlet end of the drum.

The fibrous, granular, or other material is fed into the inlet end of the drum through the chute 6 into the first washing compartment, where it is subjected to the first stage of the washing process. The agitation of the material caused by the rotation of the drum causes the material to pass into the next compartment, and so on until it reaches the discharge end of the drum. In the first compartment into which the material to be washed is fed, the material is subjected to washing liquid which has passed successively through the other compartments. In the second compartment from the inlet end the material is subjected to the second washing stage with liquid which has passed successively through other compartments and which carries less impurities. When the material has passed through the successive compartments and the compartment at the discharge end of the drum, the greater portion of the impurities will have been removed and the relatively clean material will be subjected to the action of clean liquid discharged into the final washing chamber by the inlet pipe 22. The material passes out through the discharge opening 1 onto the discharge chute 8. The material is thus subjected in the first stage to liquid which is most heavily charged with impurities, and in successive stages is subjected to washing liquid which is progressively cleaner. In the final stage substantial clean material is subjected to substantially clean washing liquid.

The washing liquid, if water carrying dirt, may be discharged from the pipe 26 into a sewer, or

if it contains valuable substances in solution it may be delivered to suitable recovery apparatus. In some instances it may be desirable to utilize the liquid discharged through the delivery pipe 26 for an initial treatment of the material in a separate container prior to its introduction into the rotating drum. In the modified form in Figs. 6 and '7 is shown a compartment in which the partition member l2 carries a circumferential member 2'! and an annular vertical flange 28 forming an annular trough extending a substantial distance across the compartment. Between the flange 28 and the next adjacent partition member [2 is provided a screen or other filtering medium M, as in the other compartments. With this construction the material passing through the opening [3 from the previous compartment will first enter a section where the washing liquid is not permitted to drain freely, inasmuch as it is caught in the imperforate, annular trough and held in contact with the material which is being washed or treated for a period of time, before the material and liquid progress to the remainder of the same compartment. The remaining portion of the compartment is provided with a screen or other filtering medium, through which the washing liquid may pass into the outer compartment, and there be transferred into the next adjacent compartment by means of the scoops 16, I611 and pipes 19, as described above.

This longer period of treatment of the material'being washed, with the washing liquid is desirable for washing some materials, such, for example, as paper stock or fabrics.

It will be seen that while I have shown a washing machine with five washing compartments, any desired number of washing compartments may be used, and one or more of the washing compartments may be of the type in which a collector trough and discharge pipe are used, or may be of the type provided with scoops and pipes to automatically carry the water from one compartment into the previous compartment in the direction of flow of the material being washed through the machine.

It will also be seen that such compartments may be of the type shown in Fig. l, or may be of the type containing a trough, such as shown in Figs. 6 and '7.

It will be apparent that the machine of the present invention is relatively simple, inexpensive and highly effective in operation, and that it is capable of washing impurities from materials treated very thoroughly and rapidly.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration, and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departing from my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum,'a transverse partition forming a dividing wall between compartments within the drum, a circumferentially continuous material-retaining member in each compartment spaced radially inwardly of the peripheral wall of the drum, means for introducing a washing liquid into one of the compartments, and means for transferring liquid from the space between said member and peripheral wall of the drum through said partition into the adjacent compartment.

2. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having transverse partitions dividing the interior thereof into a series of washing com partments, material retaining members in each compartment spaced radially inwardly of the peripheral wall of the drum, means for introducing washing liquid into one of the compartments, and means for simultaneously and progressively transferring liquid from the space between the material retaining members and the peripheral wall of the drum into the next adjacent compartment,

3. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having longitudinally spaced, transverse partitions dividing the drum into a series of compartments, said drum having an inlet for material to be washed at one end and an outlet for washed material at the other, said partitions having apertures in the central portions thereof for passage of a material being washed, circumferentially continuous material-retaining means in each compartment spaced inwardly from the peripheral wall of the drum and across the compartments outwardly of the said apertures, means for introducing a washing liquid into one of the compartments at the discharge end of the drum, and means for progressively transferring liquid from compartment to compartment toward the material inlet end of the drum.

4. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having longitudinally spaced transverse partitions dividing the drum into a series of compartments and having a material inlet at one end and a material outlet at the other, said partitions having openings in the central portion thereof for passage of the material being washed from one compartment to another, circumferentially continuous material retaining means in each compartment spaced inwardly from the peripheral wall of the drum and across the compartments outwardly of said partition openings, said material retaining means being pervious to the washing liquid, scoops for picking up liquid escaping through the material retaining means in one compartment, and automatic means for transferring the liquid into the next adjacent compartment toward the material inlet of the drum.

5. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having longitudinally spaced, transverse partitions dividing the drum into a series of compartments, said drum having an inlet for material to be washed at one end and an outlet for washed material at the other, said partitions having apertures in the central portions thereof for passage of material, circumferentially continuous material-retaining screens in each compartment spaced inwardly from the peripheral wall of the drum and across the compartments outwardly of the said apertures, means for introducing a washing liquid into the compartment at the discharge end of the drum, means for delivering liquid from the space outside the screen of the compartment at the outlet end of the drum to the interior of the screen of the next compartments, and similar means for transferring liquid from compartment to compartment toward the inlet end of the drum.

6. A washing machine having a series of washing compartments through which material to be washed may be advanced, means for supplying a washing liquid to one of the final washing compartments, one of said washing compartments having means for retaining both liquid and material in the compartment for a portion of the travel of the material through the compartments and having a material retaining screen for retaining the material while permitting the washing liquid to pass therethrough for the rest of the travel through said compartment.

'7. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum, transverse partitions disposed in the drum dividing the interior thereof into a series of washing compartments, said partitions having openings to permit travel of the material being Washed through said partitions, a circumferentially continuous filtering member disposed in said compartments and spaced radially inwardly of the peripheral wall of the drum, at least one of said compartments having an imperforate trough member to retain both the material to be washed and the washing liquid for a substantial portion of the travel of the material being washed across said compartment.

8. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum, transverse partitions disposed in the drum dividing the interior thereof into a series of washing compartments, said partitions having openings to permit travel of the material being washed through said partitions, a circumferentially continuous filtering member disposed in said compartments and spaced radially inwardly of the peripheral wall of the drum, at least one of said compartments having an imperforate trough member to retain both the material to be washed and the washing liquid for a substantial portion of the travel of the material being washed across said compartment, the remainder of said compartment having filtering means to permit the washing liquid to pass therethrough, and means for automatically and progressively transferring liquid collecting between the filtering member and the peripheral wall of the drum into the next adjacent compartment toward the material inlet of the drum.

9. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having longitudinally spaced, transverse partitions dividing the drum into a series of compartments, circumferentially continuous filtering means in each compartment spaced inwardly from the peripheral wall of the drum, said partitions having openings therein inwardly of the filtering means, means disposed between the filtering means and the peripheral wall of the drum for picking up from the bottom portion of the drum, liquid which has passed through the filtering material, and transfer means operable when the pressure of the liquid outside the filtering medium is greater than the pressure of the material being washed to automatically transfer the liquid into the next adjacent washing compartment inwardly of the filtering medium.

10. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having a material inlet at one end and a material outlet at the other end. and having longitudinally spaced, transverse partitions dividing the drum into a series of compartments, circumferentially continuous filtering means in each compartment spaced inwardly from the peripheral wall of the drum, said partitions having openings therein inwardly of the filtering means, means disposed in a plurality of compartments between the filtering means and the peripheral wall of the drum for picking up from the bottom portion of the drum, liquid which has passed through the filtering material, and transfer means operable when the pressure of the liquid outside the filtering medium is greater than the pressure of the material being washed to automatically transfer the liq uid from said compartments into the next adjacent compartments toward the material inlet of the machine and inwardly of the filtering medium.

11. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having transverse partitions dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of washing compartments, circumferential filtering means disposed in each compartment inwardly of the periphery of the drum, scoops disposed in one compartment between the filtering means and the periphery of the drum, conduits disposed in the next adjacent compartment outwardly of said filtering means, said conduits having one end opening through the partition into said scoops, valves disposed at the opposite end of said conduits and leading into the inner portion of said adjacent compartments, said valves being mounted to open as the rotation of the drum carries upwardly the liquid in said scoops, whereby the liquid collected in the scoop of one compartment is automatically transferred into the inner portion of said adjacent compartment, and

means for supplying liquid to said washing machine.

12. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having a material inlet and a material outlet, and having transverse partitions dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of washing compartments, said partitions having openings in the inner portion thereof to permit the material to pass from one compartment into the next, circumferential filtering means disposed in each compartment inwardly of the periphery of the drum, scoops disposed in one compartment between the filtering means and the periphery of the drum, conduits disposed in the next adjacent compartment toward the material inlet of the machine and outwardly of said filtering means, said conduits having one end opening through the partition into said scoops, valves disposed at the opposite end of said conduits and leading into the inner portion of said adjacent compartment, said valves being mounted to open as the rotation of the drum carries upwardly the liquid in said scoops, whereby the liquid collected in the scoop of one compartment is automatically transferred into the inner portion of said adjacent compartment toward the material inlet of the machine, and means for supplying liquid to one of the compartments adjacent the material outlet.

13. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having a material inlet and a material outlet at opposite ends thereof and a series of separate longitudinally spaced transverse partitions forming a series of separate washing compartments within the drum between the inlet and outlet thereof, said partitions having openings inwardly of the periphery of the drum for passage of the material being washed from compartment to compartment, and means for introducing a washing liquid into one of the compartments adjacent the material outlet and for transferring washing liquid from compartment to compartment in a direction opposite that of the fiow of material being washed.

14. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having a material inlet and a material outlet at opposite ends thereof and a series of separate longitudinally spaced transverse partitions forming a series of separate washing compartments within the drum between the inlet and outlet thereof, said partitions having openings inwardly of the periphery of the drum for passage of the material being washed from compartment to compartment, means for introducing a Washing liquid into a compartment adjacent the material outlet, and means for collecting liquid from i the last mentioned compartment, elevating the liquid and discharging the same into a compartment nearer the material inlet.

15. A washing machine comprising a rotatable drum having a material inlet and a material outlet at opposite ends thereof and a. series of separate longitudinally spaced transverse partitions forming a series of separate washing compartments within the drum between the inlet and outlet thereof, said partitions having openings inwardly of the periphery of the drum for passage of the material being washed from compartment to compartment, means for introducing a washing liquid into the drum adaj acent the material outlet, means within the drum for collecting liquid from each of a plurality of compartments and transferring the liquid collected from each compartment into other compartments nearer the material inlet.

EDWIN COWLES. 

